Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

John Horn Saw Mill Papers, 1852-1876, Accession #11289, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These ledgers were purchased by the Library from Heartwood Books of Charlottesville, Virginia, on January 27, 1997.

Biographical/Historical Information

Papers of the Davis and Horn and related families (Accession #378) provide other information on the Horn, Firebaugh, and Anderson families. Jacob Horn had three children: John; Mary M., who married Robert B. Anderson; and, Rebecca, who married Benjamin F. Firebaugh. John Horn was the administrator of the estate of his brother-in-law, Robert B. Anderson; Anderson was the executor of the estate of Isaac Bryan.

Scope and Content Information

There are four ledgers with loose financial papers, ca. 1852-1876, pertaining to the John Horn Saw Mill of Rockbridge Baths, Virginia. The ledgers list a variety of services and materials associated with the saw mill, including: sawing and making items such as pine, log gum, hickory logs, rabbets, plants, weatherboarding, poplar, posts, joist, fencing, white oak, bedsteads, plank wagon beds, laths, strips, walnut plank, smokehouse roof, cedar posts, shoestuff logs, drawboards logs, boulster stuff, houndstuff, window and door frames, portico sills, handrailing, shingles, and garden railing. Each ledger contains an index to the names listed in the accounts.

Ledger #1 contains accounts for November 1853 through April 1860. Names listed in the index include: Adams, Anderson, Bryan, Buchanan, Davis, Dickson, Firebaugh, Jordan, McCown, Perry, Randolph, Snider, Sterett, Taylor, and Whitmore. In addition to the accounts, there are records of work schedules and methods of payment in exchange for services rendered, including those for George Conner, James C. Snider, and Samuel Fulwider. There are also accounts for bushels of ears of corn (page 32), twist of tobacco (page 35), and bag thrash [of corn] (page 36).

Ledger #2 contains accounts for April 1857 through December 1861. Names listed in the index include: Adams, Anderson, Bryan, Buchanan, Cox, Davis, Horn, Howardsville Turnpike Company, Elliot, Firebaugh, Fulwider, Jordan, Mohler, McCown, McCurdy, Perry, Selby, Snider, Sterett, Taylor, Welch, West, and Wilson. In addition to the accounts, there are records of work schedules and methods of payment in exchange for services rendered. Jacob and Frederick Snider performed such services as working at the icehouse, making shingles, mowing, harvesting, thrashing and shucking corn, hauling rocks, and hauling hay. Samuel Fulwider settled his account by performing such services as hoeing and shucking corn, harvesting, cutting and putting up oats and hay, thrashing wheat, and hauling wood and rocks. H. A. Wilson settled his account by performing such services as sawing plaster, hauling logs, planting corn, harvesting, hauling grain, putting up oats and hay, plowing "Penoly," thrashing, seeding, and chopping wood. There are also several accounts with women: Mrs. Elizabeth H. Snider account (pages 14 and 34) for calico, cotton, stockings, shoes, and dress; Miss Betty West account (page 25) for goods, shoes, calico which she worked off through harvest; Miss Margaret Wiseman account (page 35); and, Mrs. Mary E. Buddlemyer account (page 35). There is an account for "School House Lumber" on page 26. The end of the ledger contains comments on weather and harvesting.

Ledger #3 contains accounts for January 1862 through October 1867. Names listed in the index include: Australia Furnace, Rockford Bridge, Bethesda Sabbath School, Firebaugh, Fulwider, Mohler, McCown, Perry, Snider, Sterett, Taylor, and West. In addition to the accounts, there are records of work schedules and methods of payment in exchange for services rendered. Samuel and James Fulwider settled their accounts by performing such services as planting corn and wheat, hauling hay and oats, picking apples, and providing barrels of corn. Mrs. Elizabeth H. Snider settled her account by weaving cotton and providing cuts of woolen yarn and bunches of cotton. Andrew Snider settled his account by performing such services as planting corn, plowing, hauling wood, clipping sheep, and cutting wheat. On pages 9 and 11, there are accounts for work on the Rockford Bridge, September - November 1862; and, on page 14, there is a comment on the bridge at Rockbridge Baths, February 1863 - March 1864. There is a comment on the feeding of Lieutenant Sancy's horse, which was left by Sergeant Knapp to be kept one month, on October 28, 1863 (page 12). The Bethesda Sabbath School is mentioned on page 11 and at the end of the ledger. Miscellaneous comments are at the end of the ledger: weather December 31, 1867 - January 1, 1868; grain accounts for 1863 and 1865; records of killing a small beef, two wild hogs, and pork, and of providing deerskin and beef hides, October 1863 - January 1864; prices for articles purchased in Lynchburg, May 17, 1863; miscellaneous records of planting, harvesting, and cutting; comment on finishing the Rockford Bridge on November 5, 1862; comment that the Jefferson Davis Legion of Southern Troops came to Cove Run Camp on March 26, 1863; and, comment that the Rockford Bridge went off March 4, 1865 and that it stood for two years and five months.

Ledger #4 contains accounts for January 1868 through December 1876. Names listed in the index include: Adams, Anderson, Brown, Bryan, Cochran, Cox, Davis, Firebaugh, Horn, Jordan, Kerrs Creek Township, Little, Mohler, McCown, McCurdy, Nutty, Perry, Snider, Sterett, Taylor, and Wilson. In addition to the accounts, there are records of work schedules and methods of payment in exchange for services rendered. Various members of the Snider family settled their accounts by performing services: Frederick Snider by sawing and thrashing; Andrew Snider by hauling and chopping logs, mowing, building plank fence, sawing, working at the apple house, clipping sheep, and mowing and putting up hay; George Snider by hauling logs and plank, mowing, hauling hay, plowing and hauling corn, working on the dam, working at the saw mill, making tar, thrashing, making cider and molasses, chopping and hauling wood, and, working at the steam mill. There are also numerous accounts for John Nutty with work schedules and methods of payment for services rendered and for rent at "Penoly." Nutty performed such services as thrashing, working in the dam, planting corn, shucking and hauling corn, chopping and hauling wood, making shingles, building fence, hauling hay and wheat, harvesting wheat, mowing, sawing shingles, hauling rocks and logs, mowing, and picking apples. There is an account for William Cochran Coloured (page 48). The end of the ledger holds notes on Bethesda Parsonage concerning a series of meetings held by Rev. C. M. Howard from September 3 - 27, 1874 and a sacramental meeting held on October 18, 1874. There are also weather comments for February 7 and April 17, 1875. There is a note concerning Confederate money received from James W. Brown, administrator of Margaret Brown, for Horn's three children, Lizzy, Mary, and Emerson, on January 16, 1863, signed by John Horn. At the end is also a commentary on a great flood of September 28, 1870 and a comment on the weather for December 23, 1870. Weather and harvesting comments follow.

Business papers removed from the ledgers consist chiefly of accounts and accounts settled. From ledger #2 are items of note: an account, October 31, 1853, for Mary Tripinger, for calico, cotton, gingham, and cashmere gloves; a list of appletrees in rows named Fallow Water, Bellflour, Johnstons, and Paradise, March 1859; and, a note to "Miss Kittie" containing the names and addresses of three women -- Isidore Anderson, Lizzie S. Rule, and Virginia I. Anderson. From ledger #3 are items of note: an account, February - December 1861, of John Horn with Andrew Cox [blacksmith]; an account, November 15, 1867 - February 8, 1868, of John Horn with S. L. McDowell, dealer in groceries, dry goods, and hardware; Rockford Bridge Committee receipts for October 1, 1868; and, a resolution pertaining to Bethesda Sunday School. From ledger #4 are items of note: 1890 Tax for John Horn to the treasurer of Rockbridge County; and, a letter, June 25, 1890, from Ida Horn to "Clara" discussing the arrangements for the numerous boarders coming to the mountains for the summer.